In Our Darkest Hour
by Michael Winges
Summary: Killian Jones has become the new Dark One. Before he had killed Rumplestiltskin, he was told about a prophecy including a princess named Emma. CS AU.
1. Part I

_Dearest Reader,_

_I am back! And writing OUAT Fanfictions! I have been working on my own (personal) stories, but I took some time to write you some new stories!_

_This one is dedicated to my fiancé._

_Please read, write, and review!_

_-MW_

_**Part I**_

The Dark One sighed, looking down at his new complexion. He was in his vault – one that he had acquired three hours prior – and had _just_ discovered his missing left hand, preserved for centuries now. Waving his right hand, the hook that had been there was replaced by his hand. He smiled in satisfaction. He had _finally_ dealt with his crocodile. Yet he had not known the consequences. When he had obtained the powers of the Dark One, he did not know how to react. He had endured the _worst _physical pain in his life, and his crew watched on in awe as he transformed. But he could not shake the words that Rumplestiltskin had muttered in his ear while he was taking his last breaths.

"Find your soul mate, Hook. I know you don't want this power; in fact, you'll come to hate yourself. You must wait for a long time, but she will come to you. And She will break your curse."

"Milah was my soul mate, you bastard," Hook had said, twisting the knife deeper, feeling a dark, dangerous power surging into it. The crocodile laughed.

"I can see the future – and you will, too. Soon. And Milah will only be a forgotten name when you first look upon her. It happened to the Dark One before me. I never learned to love. As if I could before." Hook shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Milah would _not _become a passing memory. She just could not be forgotten.

"If you are so wise," Hook hissed. "Then tell me the true name of my soul mate."

With his dying breath, Rumplestiltskin whispered the name.

_"Emma…"_ And just like that, he had died. Hook only had a moment before the pain settled in.

Now, as he perused the endlessness of his vault, he pondered his predicament. _Emma…_ He needed to see who this bloody wench was. Finding a mirror, he waved his hand and thought of what he needed. The clear glass rippled and gave way to show a dark haired woman with the fairest complexion, holding a baby swaddled in a blanket.

"Hey there, Emma," she whispered, cooing at the child. "I'm your mother, Snow White. This is your nursery. Your father and I have big plans for you." Hook could not stand the sight of it, so he waved his hand again, the image disappearing. His "soul mate" was a _baby_? This was ridiculous! He was outraged. But when he had seen her, something stirred in him. He called it curiosity. With a wave of his newly attached hand, he transported himself into her nursery. Her mother cried out in surprise and he froze her, taking the squirming child from her.

"Well, well," he said. "Snow White, is it? This is your daughter, correct?" She could only blink in response. He chuckled. "Don't fret, my dear Queen. I intend no harm on your daughter. In fact, _quite_ the opposite. I intend to protect her. In exchange for a small favor." He unfroze Snow and she shuddered.

"Who the Hell are you?" She shouted. In response, he smirked.

"I'm the new Dark One, lass," he said. "And you _will_ listen to what I have to say." He could see into the future now; he knew exactly what would happen. It was _fate_. "You _will _let me take your daughter when the time is right." He looked down at the baby, who was smiling up at him. He raised his right hand, smiling back at her. She started glowing a light pink color, then the light was gone. She giggled and his smile grew.

"What did you do to her?" Snow White cried. He looked up at her, frowning.

"Making sure that you do not go back on your word. She can _never_ be married off. She will be my… _servant_." He could feel the darkness starting to take control of him. He never would have said that before. Times had certainly changed. Handing the baby back to her mother, whom had tears streaming down her face. And just like that, he transported himself back onto his ship.

"Mr. Smee!" He cried out. The short, portly man came running to his side.

"Yes, Captain?" He asked. Hook could feel that Smee was afraid of him now. That they were _all_ afraid of him now. He put his reattached hand up to eye level. Smee gawked, but said nothing.

"Set sail for Neverland!" He shouted. All of the men shuddered slightly before getting the _Jolly Roger_ ready for sail.

_**Eighteen Years Later**_

Emma was walking around in the garden, thinking. In her dreams, a dark, mysterious man would walk with her, talk with her, Treat her like she was a human. And even though she knew he could not possibly be real, she had fallen in love with him. Which was depressing to think of if you were Baelfire.

"Please, Emma," he pleaded with her. She turned, coming out of her reverie. No man would be able to satisfy her, not with the years of getting to know this fake, perfect man. Bae walked over to her and took her hand. "Please, I need to know. I _need_ to know if you will ever love me like you love you 'imaginary friend'." She sighed and pulled her hand away from him.

"Bae… we are _friends_. That's it. We can't be anything more." Bae was about to retort when a familiar voice – to both of them – spoke.

"I'm afraid she's right, lad," The Dark One said. Baelfire rose up to meet his former captain. Emma, on the other hand, could not believe her eyes.

"You're _real_?" She exclaimed, jumping up. The two men in front of her turned, one confused and one grinning. Baelfire looked at her like she was insane.

"_Of course_ he's real! He is my former captain! Just like I told you – he has a hook – wait, you got your hand back?" Emma took no notice of Baelfire; her sole focus was on the endearing man from her dreams. He sauntered over to her, trying to take her hand. She backed away and started running – running from these surprisingly hurt feelings she was having. She should have been happy that he was there. Instead, she felt dejected and wounded, her heart breaking. He was a real, live person – a man who she did not know the name of. She was so afraid and shocked that she did not notice the sink hole until it was too late. With a large _crack!_, she fell forward, crying in pain. Then the tears fell willingly. She did not know that she was fighting tears, but now they came freely. She tried to stand, but her left ankle was broken.

Emma crawled to the nearest tree trunk and sat beneath it, taking in her surroundings. She had run into the Dark Woods, where the Dark One used to live. She cowered and whimpered, suddenly chilled. Winter was on its way, and she had not brought a cloak. Her tears stung as they went down, the cold wind biting her cheeks.

"There's no need to hide from me, Lass," the Dark One's voice sounded from just to the right. Emma panicked and closed her eyes. Spots were starting to form in her vision from the pain in her ankle, and sleep was starting to sound so good.

"Emma?" Her eyes did not open. _Dammit,_ Killian thought. She had tear streaks on her face, and the bone of her ankle was sticking out. She had probably passed out from the pain. "Emma, Love, speak to me!" She groaned and her eyes fluttered open. Then she cowered away from him. He felt hurt and confused. "What's the matter, Lass?" Her eyes darkened.

"You're _real_," she whispered, obviously hurt. He cocked an eyebrow. She sighed. "You're _real_. Which means that you _could have_ visited. Or written! But no, I'm stuck with having to see you in my fucking dreams –"

"That's no way for a _princess_ to speak," he chuckled. "And if you're seeing me in your dreams, that means it worked." Emma moved and opened her mouth to ask _what_, exactly, had worked. But that never came out. Instead, she cried out in pain, reaching for her ankle. Killian got to it first. "Emma, let me heal you." She whimpered, but did not protest. He waved his left hand over her leg, and it healed. The only evidence of what happened was a pink scar where the bone had jutted out. He then stood up and started walking. He knew she would follow.

"You're the Dark One, aren't you?" Her voice sounded slightly farther than he had expected. He stopped in his tracks and did not answer. "Answer me!" He waved his hand without turning, but he could hear her body crumple to the ground. He felt so ashamed – which was weird, because he had only ever watched her from his comfort in Neverland. After he vanquished Peter Pan – by some extreme miracle – he reclaimed the island for his own. He built a castle and then used one of the Lost Boy's shadows to guide his ship wherever he needed to go – between realms, or wherever he fancied. But he always had a pocket mirror on him. He had to check up on his so-called "soul mate". He still did not believe Rumplestiltskin's words whenever he looked at the mirror. Yet now, looking at her in real life, in person, he forgot all about Milah and the days of his past. He knew he would have to deal with her temper, but he could handle it. He had hoped that his dream spell could have helped a little in giving him a good image – which he had tarnished over the years. He hated himself now, and wanted nothing to do with anyone. His crew was terrified of him, and he just wanted to have a friend.

Killian picked Emma up and transported them to his ship, which was docked near the taverns he used to visit. Mr. Smee jumped upon his arrival and bowed in respect after he had regained his composure.

"To Neverland, sir?" He squawked. The Dark One nodded in silence, taking Emma to his quarters. He hated having to entrap her, but she left him with no other choice. She began to come to when he laid her down on his bed. He conjured up a chair with gold furnishings and sat in it, face covered in shadow. She blinked, then jumped in fright.

"It's alright, Lass," his hands were on her shoulders, comforting her. She jumped away and scrambled back. Her cream colored dress was dirty, but she did not care. Killian frowned and sat back in his seat. "You're on the _Jolly Roger_." She looked confused for a second.

_"The Jolly Roge_r?"She nearly shouted. He nodded and placed his right hand on his knee. "_You're_ Captain Hook?"

"I was, once," he said gleefully, holding up two hands. "But Most people now call me the Dark One, Lass." Emma glared at him.

"You _cursed_ me! You need me for something - revenge, money, a curse. Whatever it is, you can't have me! You will _never_ have me! You can't make a girl fall in love with the Dark One without telling her who he is!" She started to get up to leave, but he stopped her by sticking his arm out and catching her.

"You can't leave, Lass," he said. "The ship is enchanted. It will not let you off the ship unless I grant you permission." She glared at his smirk.

"I have a name, you know," she said.

"I know," he replied, standing up and towering over her. She was so beautiful. He could not help himself – he gently brought her lips to his. The kiss started off slow, easy. It felt _right_. She succumbed to the taste of his lips and the way he felt pressed up against her. Until her head reminded her of whom she was kissing. Emma started struggling against him. Killian, infuriated and frustrated, stuck his strong, lean thigh between her legs. The sudden motion made her gasp, thus allowing him full access into her mouth. Her skin burned wherever he touched her. When he noticed she was breathless, he pulled away slowly, smirking. "Oh, Emma," he purred into her ear before walking away. He heard her moan slightly and he grinned – he had gotten his point across. Just before he reached the door, she shouted.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?" She sounded frantic and scared. He stopped in the doorway, but he did not turn towards her.

"Neverland."


	2. Part II

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Only the plot._

_**Part II**_

Emma was huddle in the corner of the window, facing away from the door, tears streaming down her face as she watched the sunset in Neverland. She could hear the crew above her, hurrying everywhere they went. She did not care for them at all; in fact, she did not bother with anything any of them did. They had brought her food after her bumpy ride into this wretched place. She did not touch it. All she could think about was how the man from her dreams was real, and how he possessed a great evil. Hours later, Killian came in to check on her. Upon seeing the untouched food, he realized that there was something wrong. The darkness in him told him to just ignore her; however, the goodness in him wanted to for him to be a gentleman. In the end, the latter won out. He went over to her side. She did not seem to notice him. He saw her blank stare and the tears. He reached a hand up to her cheek and brushed away a few tears. This made her realize what was going on. Jumping away from her captor's hand, she ran up the stairs and onto the deck. All of the men stopped what they were doing to stare at her, but she no longer cared. All she wanted to do was leave. She ran to the railing and climbed onto it.

"What are you doing, Love?" Emma had to grab onto the rigging in order steady herself. The Dark One was standing right behind her, hands raised as if to cast some sort of spell. She glared at him before a thought came to mind. She would trick him. Smiling coyly, she winked at him.

"Having some fun," she responded. He looked at her, confused. She twisted around to face him, her hands letting go of the rigging. He came closer to him and she bent down in order to get near his face. Their lips were almost touching when she whispered, "After all, this is my prison. I might as well make myself comfy." Then she tilted backwards and fell off the ship. The air rushing behind her felt like she was falling through everything. Mid-air, she twisted and came into a diving position. Her family's castle was on a lake, so she had learned how to swim. She took a deep breath right before she hit the water. The water was warm and made her feel at home. She swam to the surface, her corset making it hard for her to stay under water for long. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the ship to see an angry and stunned Dark One. She laughed in delight and took off her corset. This shocked him even more. Emma began to head toward shore, feeling finally free from everything. Little did she know that she had just ensured her fate.

Killian looked on as his temptress swam to shore. He did not know the feelings stirring within him – the slight pain as she went farther away, the anger of her trickery.

"SMEE!" He bellowed. The poor, stout man was by his side in a heartbeat. "Ready the boats. We're going to the castle." Killian then proceeded to walk away and head toward his quarters.

"Um, sir?" Smee asked timidly. His captain froze, then turned slowly toward the frightened pirate, glowering at him. "What about the Princess?" And Smee immediately regretted allowing those words to slip out of his mouth. He had seen the Captain angry, and he had seen him upset. He had never seen the sly look on the darkened face of the Dark One before like the one that graced his features now.

"Oh, don't you worry, Smee," Killian smirked evilly, the darkness that he so hated taking over. "She will be mine. She just needs some… persuasion." And with that, the Captain of _The Jolly Roger_ sauntered below deck as the men began preparing the boats.

Meanwhile, Emma had finally reached land and sat on the beach. The sun had just reached the edge of the land and was creating a beautiful picture in the sky. She sighed, knowing that she could never get off this godforsaken island. All she wanted was to see her parents again. The tears began to fall again. She did not know how long she had sat there before the sun finally set.

The bushes behind her began to rustle. Emma jumped and found a sharp rock. Standing abruptly, she turned to face whatever nightmare would come to her. She was not prepared for the shadow that came at her. She screamed as it flew at her, pulling at something in her. Something _deep_. But it could not get it. And for the second time in Emma's life, she felt the magic within her bubbling up as her emotions took over. She had been taught to keep it hidden, but when Regina had finally given up on trying to kill Snow White after meeting Robin Hood, she had began to secretly teach her how to use it. Still, she screamed as the shadow began to attack her. It threw various objects at her, and she had yet to produce a good protection spell. Her golden hair was severely messed up, and the rocks being thrown at her were ripping her white dress. Just when she thought things could not get worse, a voice sounded from just behind her.

"Emma!" The Dark One was there, a fireball in hand. She turned to see his plan just in time. A rock whistled past her head as she ducked and then great flames spewed from his hands. The shadow screamed and then faded into nothingness as the flames consumed its body. The Dark One quickly rushed Emma into the safety of the Dark Forest. Their clothing contrasted each other greatly: hers was white, pure; his was black, full of mystery and tarnish. Her ringlets were disheveled, and blood was dripping from her forehead and her left hand. The shadow had done a number on her.

"Emma," Killian said after a few minutes of silence. She flinched: she knew what was coming. He continued to lead her through the tangle of brush and trees. "Emma, _please_ don't do that to me again. I need you alive. You are part of a prophecy that will break me of my wretchedness. That's why… Emma?" She had begun to sway as she'd walked. He looked at her forehead. "Bugger," he swore. Then he led her toward the cliffs that would ultimately lead to her being rid of the blasted poison. Magicking them up to the top, he caught her as she began to faint. The shadow's aim was strong, and had probably given her a concussion. Flicking his wrist, the Dreamshade gave way to the pool of water that would restore her. He placed his right arm under her legs and her barely conscious body slumped against his chest.

"You have nice abs," she mumbled. He smirked, but continued to walk forward. As he reached the edge of the pool, he gently laid her down and pulled out his flask. Scooping some of the healing waters into it, he poured the cool liquid into her mouth. At first, the black veins only continued to spread; however, the liquid soon took over and she gasped for air. Killian's relieved smile filled her vision and she saw the man from her dreams – the good, kind man that was always there to comfort her and talk to her. "There you are," she said groggily. His confusion then made her realize that this was the Dark One that was standing over her. While she was coming back to her senses, he conjured up some bandages. He reached his left hand to touch her forehead, but she reeled back before he could get anywhere near her. Disgruntled and frustrated, he sighed.

"Try something new, Darling," he said tiredly. "It's called _trust_." And with that, he dressed her wounds and kissed each one when he was finished. She just watched on in awe, trying to think of a witty comeback, yet Emma was just too exhausted to think. Then she saw a jagged dagger with an inscription on it tucked into his boot. She could not make out the entire word, just _"K"_. She secretly stretched her right hand out to touch it. Her curiosity was winning her over, and she wanted nothing more than to get away from him. Luckily, she had inherited her mother's banditry skills. He did not notice that she now possessed his dagger, which she then hid in her boot. She would read the inscription later on.

Soon, the pair set off again - when Emma was strong enough to get onto her feet. They traveled in silence for a long time. Emma kept her head down the entire time, trying to think of a spell to use to bring her happy thoughts. Regina had only taught her the basics of magic. She closed her eyes and focused, trying to think of something to do. She suddenly felt her hair right itself. Opening her eyes suddenly, she smiled and conjured a mirror to see what she had done. She had not exactly meant for _that_ to happen, per se; however, he was grateful that she was able to still perform some magic. She had not realized that the Captain had stopped walking until she bumped right into him. She looked up, vanishing her mirror and putting her hood up so as to not show him that _she _could perform magic. But he had sensed something.

"Someone is performing magic," he muttered. He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow as he noticed her hood was up on her cloak. He was rather perturbed by this fact. She would not look at him. He approached her and she glanced up at him through her long lashes. "Did you do something?" She looked at him, shocked.

_"Me? _Performing _magic?_ Where did you get that idea?" The pirate looked at her skeptically before flicking his right wrist and her hood fell down. The crystal headband was in place like it had been in the garden before he had shown up. He gawked at her.

"You _can_ do magic!" He exclaimed. She blanched – no one was supposed to know she could do that. "Show me," he demanded. She looked at him like he was crazy and walked past him. He just stood there, his back turned to her, waiting to feel the magic again. She noticed this and formulated a plan, smirking all the while. With a flick of her wrist, she conjured up a long rope that tied around the Captain's waist. He felt the magic happen and looked down before he felt a strong pull and he was dragged along. He smirked at her ingenuity – this girl was smart and quick. He walked faster to get ahead of her. She did not know where she was going, so he needed to lead her. To his castle. He was the king of Neverland, and she needed to know that. This was going to be her domain, too, and she was going to see how much the land meant to him. It had been his home for three hundred plus years. He had spent the last eighteen of those years here, watching her grow into a beautiful, graceful young woman. Only she was not just a polite, kind princess – which, most of the time, she was. But she also had a snarky, adventurous side that helped her to discover her true self – she was a fighter. She did love the occasional ball, but she loved sword-fighting even more. And he had not realized it quite yet, but as he had watched her through the mirrors, he had become quite smitten around her. This made his good side come out whenever they were in close proximity – as in this very instant.

"You know, Emma," he said, waving his hand and moving brush out of the way. "If you loved the dream version of me, than why do you flinch whenever the _real_ me comes near you? He and I are the same person." She shakily sighed and fought back tears at the memory of the dream version of him. Him in his dress blues, a complete gentleman. The only piece of identification that she had of him was that he was a lieutenant.

"The lieutenant in my dreams is a _far_ better man than you will ever be," she spat, the rage filling her. _How _dare _he compare himself to her beautiful lieutenant? The moments they shared in her dreams… not even her own _mother _had heard of some of the things that had gone on between them._ The Captain glanced at her and shook his head.

"You do know that I _was_ him. At one point in time," he muttered darkly. She stopped, still holding the makeshift the "leash" that was around his waist. He felt the rope tug gently on his midsection. He turned to find her lost in thought.

She knew what she had to do.

She was going to bring his lieutenant back from under the darkness.

They had finally reached the castle and Emma stared at it in complete and total awe. It was a complete glass structure and it was _huge_ – much larger than her home castle. It was even bigger than Regina's – and that was saying a lot. Killian watched her as she stared in awe, her small, seemingly fragile hands still grasping at the rope around his middle. But her amazement was short-lived as she realized where she thought her quarters would be – the dungeons. Her head dropped and she magicked away the rope. She could feel Killian's gaze on her back. Sighing, she tried to steady her resolve.

"I'm ready to be put in the dungeon," she whispered. She jumped when she felt his hand on her back. It was as if a jolt went through both of them.

"What makes you think I'm putting you in a dungeon, Lass?" He murmured into her ear. He began to lead her toward the castle, his steps confident and sure. She stumbled a couple of times before she reached the door, and it took the two of them longer to get to her room than Killian had originally anticipated. He suddenly stopped in front of her door and shoved her inside.

"You'll be staying here," he said, his cold demeanor returning. She shuddered and turned away from him. If she had been looking at him, she would have noticed his scaly complexion returning to his form – albeit, she had never seen it on him before. He shut the door on her and the lights in her room turned on. The room was rather plain – a small cot on one side of the room, and a bathing basin and bathroom on the other side. A mahogany wardrobe sat adjacent to the bed, and a large mirror hung on the wall beside it. She went over to the mirror and waved her hand, trying to remember the spell to transform mirrors into a two-way mirror. She was not a powerful magical being yet, but she would become one. The first couple times did not work; however, the fourth time seemed to work. She saw her mother and her father sitting in their bedroom. Snow White was crying because she could not have her beloved daughter anymore; her father cried because his baby girl was gone forever. Her younger brother, Leopold, ran into the room, crying and clinging to his best friend, Neal. Emma felt her eyes prickle with tears, but she shoved them away quickly. She did not have that much time to talk.

"Mom," She called. Snow White's head lifted and she looked at the mirror.

"Emma!" She watched as her mother ran toward her, the rest of them following suit quickly. "Where are you? Are you okay? What's going on –"

"Mom, I don't have that much time to explain. I'm in Neverland. The Dark One took me. He needs me to 'break his curse,' or something along those lines –" The door behind her opened and the Dark One himself, scaly and eerie in appearance, marched over to her. "Mom, help!" She shouted before the Dark One waved his hand and the connection was broken. Emma could still see and hear her parents, but it had appeared that their end of the line had disconnected.

"Sorry, Love," he said. "No long-distance calls." The tears fell freely as she wheeled around, drawing the dagger she had snagged from him earlier in the night. His eyes flashed with rage when he saw it. "Where did you get that, Lass?" His whisper was dangerous.

"I swiped it off of you while you weren't paying attention," She said, lunging towards him. He deflected it with an easy flick of his wrist. Both she and the dagger went flying – in opposite directions. She hit the ground and gasped as all of the air left her lungs. She heard the clangor of metal on the floor where the dagger fell. She watched as the Dark One stooped down to pick it up and he began to walk to the door. He had reached the door before he seemed to change his mind and he headed back toward her. She sat herself up slowly, _painfully_, as the Dark One approached her. He knelt down in front of her, blue eyes gleaming in the dim light.

"Emma, I am only going to offer this to you _once_. And I am only going to tell you this information once. So listen carefully. This dagger controls the Dark One. It can also _kill_ the Dark One. I am asking you _as a favor_ to not use it unless it to kill me unless it is an absolute emergency. You can summon me with it all you want, but do not come at me with it unless it is your last resort." With that, he held the hilt of the dagger to her. Trembling, her fingers wrapped around it, her eyes never leaving his. As soon as she was in its possession, he smirked. "Now I _have _to do whatever you say. See what I'm doing? I'm _trusting_ you." With that, he left her to herself and the dagger. Emma quickly looked down at it; she wanted to see the inscription.

Even in the dim light, she could make out that it was his name. She smiled for the first time in what felt like days at the sight as she mouthed it.

_"Killian Jones."_


	3. Part III

_Disclaimer: I only own the plot._

_**Part III**_

Killian looked at her, astonished. Time passed differently in Neverland, meaning that people did not age. Even so, bodies could still change. And he was astonished that after a week, she looked thinner and thinner. Her skin became translucent, and dark bags formed under her eyes. He hardly ever saw her unless he went into her room. Her eyes looked as if the light had been taken out of them, her smile that he had watched for so many years was gone.

The Dream Spell had made it so that Killian could spend time with Emma without actually being with her. On her fifteenth birthday, the spell activated, and he had met her in his naval uniform. They both entered a neutral space that would allow them to meet as their true selves – a Naval Officer and a Princess. No dark magic. No one to bother them. And he had learned so much about her. She was a beautiful person that did not want to hurt anyone. She had an affinity towards to sea, but had never actually been on a ship before. And it was these moments over the years that had helped him to know her better. He had also watched over her as she grew. He had enchanted the mirror in his Captain's Quarters to show her to him whenever he was in there. It also allowed him to help her – magically, of course – whenever she was in a lot of trouble. There had only ever been one time when he had had to actually save her life. He remembered it like it had been yesterday…

Emma was three, and she had been wandering in the woods with her nanny. Snow White was giving birth to Emma's younger brother, but she had no inkling as to why that was the reason she was outside. It was not long before the trolls had found her. They had been freed from Regina's wrath, but they still had a hatred for Snow White after how she had tricked them into thinking that the dust in her hand was actually dark fairy dust. They had separated Emma from her nanny, then cornered her by a lake about a mile from her castle. He had watched as this happened and had decided early on that he would need to intervene. Luckily for him, there was a looking glass in the vicinity that would allow him a safe, quick passage between the realms. He needed to save her. When he had arrived, he disguised himself in his naval uniform. His scaly skin had disappeared and had been replaced with his original skin. He had snuck up on the trolls and slit the first one's throat with ease. By the time that Emma had realized what was going on, all she saw were three dead trolls and Killian trying to fight the last one all by himself. She picked up a rock and some sand by her feet, having heard the story that her mother had told her about these trolls.

"Hey!" Her high-pitched voice had squeaked after the rock hit the troll on the back of the head. She had quite the arm for a three year old. The troll had turned toward her, ready to charge. She had held up the hand with the sand, saying, "I have dark fairy dust! Leave us alone, or you'll turn into a bug!" And then Killian had formulated an idea. The troll had laughed at Emma, stating clearly that he would not fall for that a second time. She had marched up to him and threw it in his face. Killian had waved his hand and the troll did, in fact, turn into a small hissing cockroach. Emma had squealed in surprise – more at the fact that he had turned into a bug than the fact that her trick had actually worked. Killian then took that opportunity to squash the insect under his foot while kneeling down before the beautiful child.

"Princess Emma," he said, "I am Lieutenant Killian Jones. I have hard of your wonder. I am pleased to finally meet you. Please, allow me to escort you back to your castle." She had giggled – he knew that her favorite people were the Naval Officers. She had grabbed his hand and led him towards her castle for a few seconds before stopping shortly.

"Killian," she had said, "I don't know where I'm going." He had smiled at her and picked her up.

"Don't worry, Emma," he had murmured as she rested her head on his shoulder. He saw that her eyes were closing fast; she was exhausted from all of the excitement from the events of the day. "I will get you home." He had walked for a long time, and he had fought with the darkness within him the entire time. He had never wanted this much power. Now that he had it, however, the darkness wanted him to keep him from taking it away. The goodness in him quickly pushed away all the badness when the castle came into view. The sun had just begun to go down, and about ten guards came out to greet him. He had shaken Emma awake and put her down before putting his hands up. The King had come out and ran to his daughter, crying when he saw her. "I found her in the woods, being attacked by trolls," he lied easily. "I saved her." The King had nodded and the guards lowered their weapons. "The Princess should meet her new brother. And the Dark One should get going." He had flicked his wrist and transported himself to where the looking glass was. Chuckling, he returned home and watched Emma grow.

Now, he watched her in his cabin as she sat by her mirror, watching her parents trying to make plans. _Rescue plans_, his dark side guffawed. He whisked himself off of his ship and onto the island, where he knew he could find the only fairy that he could trust. She could help him.

Emma jumped as a short, blonde woman entered her room. She wore a green tunic and her hair was up in a messy bun. She had a vial around her neck and a utility belt around her waist. Her belt contained weapons and pockets all around it. She closed the door behind her and sat down next to Emma. The two were silent for a little while before the intruder nudged Emma.

"Hi, I'm Tinkerbelle," she said with a big plastered on her face. Emma could not help but smile back her.

"I'm Emma-" she started.

"Oh, I know who you are, Princess Emma Charming. You are the only one who can save the world. Who can save _Jones_." Emma scoffed at the woman.

"How can I save _him?_ I think he has the wrong person." She watched Tinkerbelle sigh and get up.

"You leave me no choice, then," Tink whispered. And suddenly, the two were at the Echo Caves. Emma had only passed by them before, when Hook had led her through the land. Now, she was staring at his boots, and Tinkerbelle was standing next to him, her hands behind her back. Emma glared at her in the shade. Hook stooped down to her level and procured one of his hands.

"M'lady," he said softly. At first, she glared at him, but then she decided that while she was there, she might as well try to be civil. She took the proffered hand – to Hook's astonishment – and stood up. "Emma, these are the Echo Caves. This is where you must reveal your deepest, darkest secrets in order to get to what you desire." They entered the cave and he pointed across a vast abyss to a small island that held what looked like an extravagant tome. She gulped in surprise – _how the hell did they expect to get across that chasm?_ Seeing her bewildered expression, he turned to Tinkerbelle.

"Tink, care to demonstrate?" The fairy nodded, stepping forward. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"My secret is that I thought that Hook was insane for doing this – for bringing _her_ here. And I still don't believe this is going to work." Suddenly, the ground shook and a ledge formed out of nothingness. It was Hook's turn to say his secret. He stepped out onto the ledge, taking Emma with him so that she could hear him loud and clear.

"My secret is that I am in love with you, Emma. It may not seem like we have known each other that long, but I have known you your whole life. I have seen you grow up to become a beautiful, graceful, gentle woman. And I know that you have every right to hate me, but I just wanted you to know that I felt like I had no other option than this." The ground moved again, sending the ridge further toward the island. Emma led him toward the tome this time, bracing herself for her secret. She knew what she had to say. Turning sharply, she faced Killian, a small smile playing at her lips.

"My secret," she whispered. "Is that I'm in love with the past version of you – Lieutenant Killian Jones. I know that much is not a secret, but this is: I have come to the realization that he is, in fact, inside of you. And I am going to make it my mission to bring him back to life." The ground shook for a final time before the bridge connected to the small island. Killian looked down at her in awe. _No one_ believed that he had any good in him – not even himself. She smiled meekly up at him in a friendly gesture. She dropped his hand before running to the tome and opening it. What she found in it shocked the both of them. It was the prophecy, but more in depth.

_When Light and Dark combine as One,_

_ The deed of Old will be Undone._

_ For A Thousand Years the Dark hath walked_

_ Yet the Light hath only breathed and talked_

_ When in matrimony willingly wed_

_ And even after in blessed bed,_

_ The Dark One and Light One shall bond as One_

_ And the deed of Old shalt be Undone._

Killian and Emma looked at the picture below the small poem. It was them – her in a wedding gown and him in his Naval uniform. They needed to get _married_ in order for him to be freed. But more importantly, as Emma realized stepping away from the tome, there was more to this than she thought. There was another being in all the realms that was stronger than the Dark One.

_Her._

She turned to Killian and watched his reaction. He reread the prophecy again and again, trying to see how they could help him. She knew that she could not marry him – not after the way he had treated her on their first day. She suddenly noticed Killian's head watching her. She must have spoken aloud. He had regret in his eyes as he approached her. The tears in her eyes began to well up.

"Lass…" his voice faded as his hands came up to dry her tears. He did not get to her in time, though; on the contrary, she bolted out of the caves, brushing past Tinkerbelle. She just could not handle it. Before long, she tripped over a root and slammed into the ground. She had been wearing a dress that went down to her knees, was brown, and very lightweight. Her hair was up in a ponytail. But everything became tousled when she landed. Groaning, she rolled over to see that she had stumbled upon an old tree house, deep in the forest. Climbing quickly into it, she discovered that it had been abandoned years ago. She sighed and looked around. There was a cot that was just big enough to fit her in one corner, and a Dreamshade bush sticking in though the cracks in the other. Gathering her wits, she summoned all of her belongings to what would be her new home. Afterwards, she tidied up the place, chasing out the spiders and all of the other animals taking refuge there. She climbed down the ladder once more and, putting forth all of the energy she could muster, attempted to make a concealment charm. It was a charm that Regina had taught her how to do, and it contained elements of a shielding spell. Now that she knew she was the Light One, she knew that she was strong enough to do it. With the flick of a finger, Emma hid the entire tree house from intruders. Only people with good within them would be allowed to enter the premises. She looked at the sky – the sun was setting. She scrambled up the ladder and went straight to bed, having been too depressed the past week to eat anything. She fell asleep the minute her head hit the pillow.


	4. Part IV

_Disclaimer: Still only own the plot._

_**Part IV**_

Emma sighed, sitting up in her bed. It had been four days since she had last seen Hook, and she felt guilty for how she had acted. She had lashed out at him, and the only reason that she could think of was because she was _scared_. In fact, the way she had been acting around him could be pegged on that single fact. She was terrified of everything: him, this new land, the prophecy, her growing powers. She needed to find a way to calm down and be civil toward him. He was treating her like a guest, and what had she done? Thrown it back in his face to smite him. She was acting like a bipolar child. She so desperately wanted her lieutenant to be real, and seeing Hook's face did _not _help her situation. While he had some of the lieutenant's qualities, he was a cruel, cold-hearted pirate who stole and now had a great power. It was then that she suddenly had an idea. An idea that she may regret later on, but she figured that it was going to be her best bet at survival. She needed to know that if she was going to stay on this island, she was going to thrive. She _was_ meant to be the Queen of two different realms, after all. Grabbing the dagger that she had kept in her boot for the past two weeks now, she climbed down from her tree house and past the perimeter of her force field.

"Killian Jones," she whispered, the name foreign on her lips. She waited and waited, but all that surrounded her was silence. Groaning in frustration, she turned to head back to her hiding spot.

"Sorry, Love," Killian's slightly drunken voice sounded from behind her. She jumped, spinning around to face him. He was leaning up against a tree that looked like it was decaying. He had a grim look on his face. "I was busy doing important things in _our_ kingdom." He spat out the words like they were venom. She cringed, knowing that she had caused this to happen. This was her own damn fault, and she was going to own up to it.

"Killian," she started softly. She stared at him intently, watching his every move. His eyebrows twitched and his eyes clouded with confusion. She had _never_ addressed him by his first name before. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She _had_ to do this. No matter how much it stung her pride. "Killian, I know that I have been treating you poorly these past two weeks. I wanted to apologize. I was wrong to judge you, and to treat you in such a way. Had I known I was part of a prophecy, I would have probably been more willing to accept you. As the situation was not that way, I was terrified. I have no idea where I am, I want to see my parents, and I have powerful magic that even _I _did not know that I possessed. But what scared me the most was that whenever I saw you, I saw _him_. I still see him. My lieutenant – the kind, gentle man who comforted me at night and knew all of my darkest secrets. I am still scared, but I am willing to overcome that fear. I want us to be friends. But I also want something else from you, in return." She stepped forward carefully. Emma had watched his eyes go from confusion to bewilderment to pain in a matter of minutes with her words. She gently touched his cheek, which, unbeknownst to her, sent shivers down his spine. She had never meant to hurt him. And she _had _to do this. "I need you to teach me how to use magic." At that, Killian flinched slightly. It did not go unnoticed by her. "I know that our magic is completely different. But I need someone who can help me to train myself. There are shadows lurking everywhere, and I want to be prepared the next time they strike. So, _please_, Killian. Teach me?" She pouted for extra effect.

_Bloody minx,_ Killian thought as he watched her little show. Sure, he was slightly more than tipsy, but he could still make coherent choices. He had spent the majority of the day drinking, due to a lack of tasks to do. He had kept himself busy, trying to keep his hurt feelings away from Emma. But today, his whole mind was on her. And he _hated_ himself for it. All he wanted was to be rid of the curse – this _girl_ should not have had any effect on him. Yet she had. Milah had not had this strong of an effect on him. He knew _that_ much, at least. Emma had him wrapped around her little finger – and she did not even know it. She was too innocent to realize that he wanted her in a purely sensual way, and too naïve to realize that he was, in fact, in love with her. He had proclaimed it at the Echo Caves, but she had not believed him. And now, he was in a drunken stupor, watching her, listening to her. He weighed his options carefully, not knowing how to tread the waters that she now presented. He wanted _so much more_ with her – more than she could ever imagine. He wanted to give her the world. But, for now, he supposed that he could take her offer.

"I accept these terms, Lass," he said with a smirk. "On one condition: you come back to the castle with me. You can keep my dagger and anything that you want from this little tree house. But you are going to live with me, in _our_ castle, with _our_ servants doting on you, and your loyal subjects loving you every second of the day. Because gods know, they hate my guts." Emma chewed her bottom lip – driving him _mad_ with want – before nodding her head.

"Okay," she murmured, taking his hand in hers. She even _smiled_ at him. A genuine smile. And his heart stopped. Gods, she was going to be the death of him.

Emma walked about her new room, swishing in her new clothing. Tinkerbelle had bought her a whole new wardrobe – and she loved it. She was not strictly a prim and proper princess, but she also loved wearing dresses. Especially ones that were _not_ ball gowns. She remembered the conversation that she and her mother had when discussing the matter.

_It was a celebratory ball for the union of the Captain of the Guards, a man named Graham whom had saved Snow White's life before she became a bandit, and a girl who was from a lower ranking Kingdom across the sea. Emma was wearing a bright green dress that matched her eyes. She was almost eighteen, and Baelfire was holding her waist. It was around this time that he had fallen for Emma. She blamed it on the fact that he was lonely and depressed, reaching out for any form of love._

_ She looked over to her parents and saw them dancing happily. How she longed for her Lieutenant to be there and share this night with her. As soon as the song was over, Snow White pulled Emma away from Baelfire. She had wanted to discuss some private matters._

_ "Honey, why aren't you dancing," Emma's mother asked, concerned. Sighing, Emma could only lie to her. She could not tell her about her insane fantasies._

_ "I don't like wearing ball gowns." Okay, that was true enough. Snow sighed in exasperation._

_ "Emma, there will be a day when you will be forced to wear ball gowns all the time. And when that day comes, you better have a bright and cheery smile on your face," the woman warned her daughter gently._

_ "The only time that I want to wear a ball gown is on my wedding day," Emma quipped before huffing outside, excusing herself for some fresh air._

A knock on the door startled her from her reverie. She turned, flicking her wrist to allow the door to open. Killian walked in, a solemn look on his face. That is, before he took in the sight of the woman standing before him. She was in a style of dress that she had never seen before. The skirt came down to about her mid thigh, flaring out at the waist. It was a black and gold and white dress, the colors all-swirling together to create floral patterns. He gulped in anticipation. He did not want to look at her face, but he did anyways. Her hair was braided down her back, and she had light makeup on. Except for red lipstick. He licked his suddenly dry lips. He wanted to kiss her once more, but he knew that he could not. He could not risk ruining their newly formed friendship.

Emma smiled at him, twirling nervously.

"Tinkerbelle jumped realms to get this to me," she said gleefully. "She said it's called a 'skater dress.' I have no idea what a skater is, but I _love_ this!" She twirled again, laughing. The sound was like music to Killian's ears. He had it _bad_ for Emma. He smiled widely at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Didn't peg you as the girly type, Lass," the Captain teased. She stopped her twirling to glare at him playfully. She was only having fun. They both were. She glided over to her closet, feet bare, and pulled out another foreign object to their world. They were heels that were shiny and black, and they were _tall_. She was lucky that she was so short. Otherwise, she would be taller than him. She came up to his eye level when she stood next to him. She was more graceful in those shoes than in bare feet. And they made her even more gorgeous. She strode over to him and beveled her leg (albeit, she had no idea what she was doing). Killian inwardly groaned at the mere thought of her teasing him. But she was not. She was giving him a weird look. Like she was uncomfortable by something.

"I'm a princess. I'm _allowed_ to be girly," she said softly. The look of discomfort was still on her face and she glanced away quickly. But he could read between the lines.

"You're a princess, but you enjoy fighting and more… 'boyish' endeavors, right, lass," he questioned. Emma looked into his intense gaze and saw, for the first time since she had been in his presence, Killian actually acted like her Lieutenant. _Sometimes_. "Yet you also enjoy being feminine. You are an intriguing woman, Emma." This made her blush furiously. It had been two weeks they had made their agreement, and their lives had been so much more enjoyable. Although his pride would never let him admit it, Emma was having a positive effect on Killian. His darkness was stating to fade away – albeit, little by little. He was becoming nicer to his subjects, and he knew that it was all because of her. Because he loved her. Because she was his True Love.

The last thought always made him stiffen. He did not want to force her into anything, but he also knew that she did not reciprocate his feelings for her. At least not yet. Unbeknownst to her, he was trying to come up with a solution to fixing her problem – getting the rest of the poison out of her system. He abhorred seeing her caged up in Neverland, even though she had free reign to go anywhere on this God-forsaken island. He wanted to take her sailing, but there was also something else. He wanted to see his beautiful Princess free and truly happy. He wanted to repent for taking her away from her family, and he wanted to get into the good graces of her parents.

Another week went by, and Killian had made major progress towards finding the cure. He only needed a lock of her hair, and he would be set. Then he had an idea. He had a stash of magic beans – beans that he had collected from Snow White's friend, Anton the Giant. And although it pained him to let her go, he knew that this was her only chance to grow in their love. He called for a ball to be held in their kingdom, and he secretly invited her parents and Baelfire. He only hoped that the she would take his offer with the magic bean and use it wisely. And while the ball was two months away, he knew that the dread in his stomach would only get worse.

_**In the Enchanted Forest**_

He snuck around the kingdom, looking for the witch that he had contacted. He knew that she would help him – especially for what he had to offer. His cloak hid his regal clothing well, and he knew that he would be in disastrous amounts of trouble if Snow or Charming found him. He snuck into the tavern, spotting the witch immediately. He plopped down in front of her, his face grim.

"Do you have what I need?" He asked hurriedly, wishing to be out of the tavern as soon as possible. The witch smirked, her grey eyes all-knowing.

"Careful, Baelfire," she said. She knew that he was anxious to see his love again, but she knew how to play him. She knew the Emma did not feel the same towards him, and never would. But she held her tongue. "You are much too penurious. Here are the beans." She threw them at him and smiled even wider. "Now, give me what _I _require." Begrudgingly, Baelfire produced a pouch that contained what the witch needed: fairy dust. He placed it carefully into her hands watched as she began to chuckle, her grimy skin making her look creepier than before. With that, he left the tavern and headed towards the woods. He was mad – not only at his Captain, but also at Emma. He was going to make her see. He was going to bring her back after the ball. _No one said no to Baelfire._


End file.
